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JANUARY, 1897)
MISCELLANEA.
25
mudrie of the chief Buddhas. In Waddell's the assuming of the material forms by the Lamairm, pp. 136 and 137, is a list of nine of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for the purpose of them. The best known are
spreading the right understanding among ani
mated beings. - Schlagentweit's Buddhism in 1. The Bhimisparia (hiimispril) or Dhar.
Tibet, pp. 208, 245. masparsa mindrd - the earth-pointing' or 'witness'attitude of Sakya Buddha and Akshobhya -
In the plates of Hoffmann's Nippon Buddha Waddell's No.1.
Pantheon will also be found some information
that may be useful. 2. The Dharmchakra mudrd or 'teaching'
J. BUBE88. attitude of Vairochana Buddha - Waddell's Edinburgh, Nov. 24th, 1896. No. 4. (cf. Oldfield's Sketches from Nipal, · Vol. II. p. 167.)
SOME NOTES ON THE FOLK-LORE OF THE
TELUGUS. 3. The Abhaya mudrd or of blessing,' - the left hand open in the lap, the right is raised in
BY G. R. SUBRAMIAH PANTULU. front of the chest with the fingers and thumb hall extended and with the palm facing forwards, as In the country of Kandahar, a certain king, in Amoghasiddha. Oldfield (Sketches from Nipal,
Mahavira by name, at a great expense, caused a Vol. II p. 169) calls this the "Awah mudra"
tank to be dug, two palm-trees deep and a yojana Waddell's No. 7.
wide, and constructed a bank around it But all 4. The Jndna mudrd, or Padmasana mudrá, the water in it dried up, notwithstanding a heavy the posture of mental contemplation, as in that of rainfall. The king, seeing that no water remainAmitabha Buddha. Waddell calls this Sama- ed in the tank he had constructed at so great an hitan - No. 2.
expense, was sitting on the bank with a grieved
heart, when one Eranda Muni passed that way. 5. The Vara, Varada or Vardha mudra, the
The king immediately rose, went and prostrated right hand hanging down over the knee, the
himself before the sage, seated him, and began to palm of the hand turned outwards, symbolizing
converse with him; when the sage, looking at the charity: --Phyag-gyas-sbyin, “the right hand of
sorrowful countenance of the king, asked him the charity." It is the mudrd of Ratnasambhava.
reason for it. To wbich the king replied :Waddell's N. 5.
"Sir, I had this tank dug at an enormous 6. The Lalita mudrd, of enchanting or
expense, but not a drop of water remains in it, bewitehing, - perbaps what Waddell calls the
and this is why I am feeling grieved." pointing tinger'; - No. 9.
The Aage replied :-"Why weep for this P If you 7. The Turka mudrd, the right hand raised to
mix boiled rice with the blood of a courageous the chest and slightly constricted (my Notes,
and liberal king, or with the blood from the throat ut. sup. p. 101, and fig. 16) is perhaps the same as
of a revered yogi endowed with all virtuous qua. Waddell's preaching 'pose - No. 8.
lities, and offer it to Durgå, whose temple is very 8. The Sarana mudrú, of refuge or protec. near the tank, I dare to say that the water will tion (Jaesche's Tib. Dict. p. 26, 8. t. skyns),- never dry, and that the tank will be as full as Waddeil's No. 6.
the ocean. 9. The Uttara-bodhi mudra (Cf. Jaesche, The king heard these words and thought of the p. 374, s.o. byan-chhub) or pose of highest difficulty of getting a king answering the descripperfection, ascribed to Vairochana Buddha, - tion. Then he thought that the sage himself and is apt to be confounded with the Dharma- answered the purpose excellently well, being en. chakra mudra.
dowed with all the necessary qualities. So he 10. The attitude Rangi-snying-gar-thal mo.
drew his sword, cut the sage's throat, mingled his
blood with boiled rice and made the necessary sbyarba- uniting the palms of the hands on
offering to Durga. From that day forwards, the one's heart, is the following: -the two hands
rain stopped in the tank and it was full to the uplifted, a finger of the right hand touching one or
brim. two fingers of the left hand, like a man accustomed to use his fingers to explain his meaning. This Those, therefore, that tender advice to kinge attitude typifies 'the unity of wisdom with matter, must do so in season, for otherwise they will in Tibetan Thabs-sches or Thabs-dan-shes-ra), or assuredly come to grief.
1 [This name in folk-tales, I think, represents always some part of Rajputana. -Ed.)
